The Citrus Mermaid
by d.wolpertinger
Summary: Fantasy AU. Don't mix mermaids and Citrus, they said. So I did, plus octopus zombies!
1. Chapter 1

"Have you ever wondered what's it like... up on land?" Yuzu pondered out loud, too distracted by the luxurious feeling of Harumin brushing her hair with her oculina coral to worry about the severity of her daydreaming.

"Yuzucchi, you mustn't say such things, even if you are joking! You know more than anyone such talk and action is forbidden." Harumin dismissed, stopping her brush from untangling her bestfriend's golden hair.

Yuzu, no longer spellbound by her friend's grooming, turned to confront Harumin. Her friend was beautiful; with cycloid scales of yellow and blue reflections up to her hips, ample breasts covered with venerid shells and eyes of flaxen gold. But underneath all that beauty it was Harumin's heart that Yuzu loved most of all.

"I know… and believe me, it's only to you I talk these thoughts with," Yuzu grabbed Harumin's hand sullenly, "so I am truly sorry that you must keep my secrets so."

Harumin regarded her with her typical humorous forgiveness. She pulled the other mermaid into her voluptuous bosom, "And I would not trade your secrets for anything, not ever! Even if your Queen Mother offered me all the sunken treasures across the Oceania!"

Yuzu wailed within her friend's embrace until Harumin eventually released her, knowing she had achieved at getting her royal heiress out of her funk with her magical chest orbs.

"Now, can you cheer up and enjoy your birthday tonight? Your mother has been planning it since forever! And for Poseidon's sake, she even invited the fangtooth fish to come up from their abyssal depths!"

Yuzu laughed and whipped her caudal fin playfully towards her best friend, gaining momentum at the same time to descend through the underwater castle, "Well if the fangtooth fish are here to party, then it seems I must!"

And indeed, the party was glorious. As all royal functions go that celebrate Princess Yuzuko's birthday, it was a sight to behold. Her mother, the beloved Queen Ume, did not blunder on the extravagance and invited all the elite aquatic life across the Mediterranean that responded to the grace of Poseidon's trident.

And during the climatic celebration, everyone gathered within the grand, underwater amphitheatre to witness Yuzu's gift of song, as was custom to thank her guests for coming. Her siren's voice enchanted and seduced even the strongest of tiger sharks to mere guppies.

It was a wondrous occasion to be sure, with laughter and dance, but even the brightest of spectacles must have its share of shadows and gossip lurking in its depths.

And that is where Yuzu first heard the whispers of a recently sunken ship, along the Fourni archipelago, boasting of the grandest and most beautiful of treasures the human world had now lost.

Curious, Yuzu took Harumin to the side, away from the prying guests, "I want to see this treasure, Harumin."

"What? Now? But your birthday is not over yet!"

"Which makes it a perfect opportunity to escape. I have sung my song, the guests are happy, and my mother has gotten gleefully drunk with the ambassador hammerheads of Gibraltar," Yuzu urged on, "...please I must see this grand treasure for myself before it gets plundered by lesser fish."

Harumin narrowed her eyes; knowing full well that Yuzu would go, even without her, if Harumin refused, "Alright, fine... but do not take anything like last time!"

As the two were leaving in haste, they were dutifully stopped by one royal, pesky guard. Himeko, born with an upper body of a mermaid and and the lower legs and arms of a crab, was always the one to catch the two mermaids up to no good mischief, somehow.

"And where do you think you two are going, this time? Oh let me guess, your royal highness has decided to explore the grounds beyond the party, take in the local underwater scenery… and then go hunting for newly sunken ships? How predictable! Wait until your Queen Mother hears about this again!" Himeko threatened, her tiny crustacean legs already in motion for the grand ballroom.

"Sorry Himeko, not tonight," as Harumin, in one swift tail flick, caused a rush of water to go under the crabs' legs, upturning her, "but please do tell the Queen Mother not to worry and that we'll be back on tomorrow's currents."

Himeko, unable to right herself properly with such limbs, could only bark out threats at their retreating tail fins.

The Fourni archipelago was over 80 nautical leagues away from the castle. A far, laborious distance for a species with weaker propulsive swimming fins but for Yuzu and Harumin the distance was easily reached by early morning. Searching along the seafloor, and asking passerby mantras, they were able to locate the shipwreck along the farthest depth of the isle in no time.

"Yuzucchi, don't you think we're too close to the surface for mere shipwreck gallivanting?" Harumin eyed the underwater crepuscular rays of sunlight that illuminated the shipwreck in a surreal morning glow. Overhead, less than one nautical league, the top surface of sea water danced enticingly. "I do not like this. We are not in the middle of the sea for it to be safe to surface so rebelliously. We are too close to these human… 'settlements'. It's giving me the creeps."

"Harumin! We've travelled all this way and you want to turn back now after seeing some forbidden surface water? We'll be in and out in mere moments! I just want to see this grand and beautiful treasure that everyone was gossiping about, then we'll be back on the bottom sea current going home in no time." Yuzu reassured her disbelieving best friend.

After a grievous ponder, and after a group of sea turtles sauntered by, Harumin reiterated, "Only a moment."

"Only a moment."

"Did I mention this is utterly forbidden?"

"You did… and I did as well, actually." Yuzu grinned, ready to flip her tail towards the destroyed boat.

"Why do I let you drag me into these things…," Harumin huffed, watching Yuzu swim away.

"Because you love meee!" Yuzu's ever increasing distant voice called out, leaving Harumin nothing else to say except to roll her eyes and swim after her.

The ship was large and imposing, or at least it probably used to be. The ship's hull had been split, its boards damaged creating small jagged edges but allowing small entrances into its inner chambers. Yuzu had to squeeze past numerous cervasses, big enough to allow her through. She made her way down to the base of the ship, thinking that whatever treasure she was hoping to find had enough weight to sink to its very bottom. Usually that's where she found the more interesting human things, anyway.

Going through a rather large opening, where wood and seafloor sand met, Yuzu came upon the most remarkable structure she'd ever laid eyes on. Scattered amongst it were colorful and vibrant gems and stones, seeming to easily reflect the little light they found. But they all paled in comparison to the statue of the woman in the center of it. The artistry had captured the human woman in a regal sitting position. Her features and hair were detailed in a youthful and desirable attractive composition. But it was the eyes! The eyes that were the most compelling to Yuzu as she dared to near closer to its realness, its exquisiteness. The human girl had eyes that held a beautiful mixture of regal discipline, maturity and… loneliness, was it?

Two sapphire gems filled the area within her stone eyelids. Yuzu just needed to reach out and touch her, if only so she could imagine that she had some sort of ability to change the statue's frozen gaze into one of happiness, maybe.

The sapphire she had touched dislodged and Yuzu shrieked in fear, catching its descent with flailing hands. Trying to fit it back in place but to no avail, Yuzu sighed, scratching the back of her head sheepishly as she held the magnificent stone in her palm.

"Sorry… you really did have amazing eyes though," Yuzu apologized.

"Why thank you, my dear." A voice slithered dangerously behind her.

Yuzu gulped, too terrified to turn around but she naively turned around anyway.

At the opposite end of the room, a horrendous looking creature stared back, maleficent red eyes shining like some of the rubies that littered the sand beneath them. The creature had the head, arms, and torso of a very dead, decomposing human but its hips and lower extremities were fused with that of a many tentacled octopus. Its octopus legs splayed themselves out to cover the wide entrance that Yuzu had just come through, stopping her from escaping.

The hybrid monster barred its serrated teeth in a gruesome smile, "Princess Yuzuko, no need to fear. I've only come to do the bidding of my most humble master." Using its snake-like appendages to inch closer, Yuzu shook in fright, wildly scanning the room for another exit. Seeing that some of the light rays that shone from the cracked openings above her were large, possibly large enough for her to squeeze through, Yuzu fled.

Taking the chance, Yuzu propelled herself in one forceful undulatory motion. Reaching the boards, and pushing past, she managed to get half of herself out of the room before a slimy tentacle wrapped itself around her tail fin and pulled her back in. The monster had its arms outstretched, and its mouth wide open, ready to bite, until Yuzu saw a flash of yellow and blue scales swim past.

"Yuzucchiii!" Harumin screamed, with a broken ship board in grasp, harpooning herself at the creatures torso. Stabbing it, the monster instinctively let go of Yuzu's fin.

"Swim!" Harumin ordered. But before the two of them could escape, the wounded octopus thing had grabbed Harumin with a dozen of its tentacles, tightening.

"Go!" Harumin gritted her teeth through the pressure.

The absolute dread at seeing her best friend like that changed something inside of Yuzu to act. Yuzu didn't know what came over her but in the next instance her mouth had opened and the most melodic and hypnotic sound had sprung from her vocal chords. Her voice, her singing had put the monster in a trance-like state like a mother soothes a child, immobilizing it. It gave Harumin enough time to squirm her way out of its grasp and wrench the impaled board from its body only to shove it through its head in one fluid motion. Its body became lifeless and it folded itself on the seabed floor, dead.

Between large inhales of water, Harumin said, "Can we...go back home now?"


	2. Chapter 2

The following events that played out after their encounter with the strange, now dead creature were quite mind-numbing. As if in a daze, their trip back to the castle was a sullen affair. The two mermaids were unusually quiet, especially between the two of them, until Yuzu's neverending curiosity got the best of her.

"What do you think that was, Harumin?"

Swimming at a brisk pace, her best friend gave her a worried glance, because she wasn't able to give Yuzu a sufficient answer, "I don't know Yuzucchi, I really... don't know."

Tightening the grip on the sapphire the blonde couldn't discard with - now her most precious treasure, - Yuzu told Harumi her biggest concern.

"We can't tell my mother about this…, she'd-"

"I know," Harumi interjected, understanding, "on the power of Poseidon's trident, I won't tell her anything." She promised.

"Thank you," Yuzu's heart twisted, aware of the risk her best friend was taking again, by holding onto more of her secrets.

As the castle came into view across the expansive water and a band of aquatic guards were alerted, Harumi murmured, "I just hope that-" she eyed Yuzu's treasure, "- _that_ was worth it."

Now at the castle gates, Yuzu gripped the stone even tighter as the duo were greeted by the wicked smirk of Himeko, flanked by several guards, and instantly knowing full well that the little crab had snitched on them.

"Your Queen Mother would like to have a word with you, your royal heiress," Himeko snickered gleefully, emphasizing Yuzu's title with disdained humor. She was ready to witness her royal pain in her crab shell get her fin chewed out.

Ushering them into the large throne room like prisoners, Yuzu saw that her mother did not mean for this to be a simple, overlooked matter.

With a very displeased, stern gaze underneath her formal headwear, and Poseidon's trident resting precariously beside her, Yuzu shuddered; her mother could pose an intimidating ruler when she needed to be.

Attempting to break the tension in the large throne room, Yuzu cautiously joked anyway, "I thought you'd be more hungover, Mama. It looked like you were having a fun time at the party last night."

Queen Ume's emerald eyes and scales reflected back, dangerously.

"Oh believe me, I am, Yuzuko. But a Queen's work is never done, especially when she has a very rebellious daughter on her hands. Royal Guard Himeko had told me all about the matter and I hope one day, when you are Queen that you'll never have to go through this."

Stricken, Yuzu tempted to quell her mother's frustration, "I'm sorry, Mama, but I-"

Upon seeing what was in her daughter's hand, Ume cut her off, her displeasure increasing like squid ink. "I have no more room for apologizes, Yuzuko! You've promised me countless of times before that it would be the last time you'd go treasure hunting near the Fourni surface! I have told you that it is dangerous. And it is forbidden. And I can't have you risking your life for a few measly human artifacts."

At the mention that her treasure was being reduced to mere insignificant trifles, the blonde's aggressive scales copied her mother's.

"We came back just fine!" And their not 'measly artifacts', Mama, they're…"

Yuzu froze at seeing her mother raise a dangerous, questionable eyebrow at what she was about to finish with. She couldn't tell the Queen of the Mediterranean, even if it was her own mother, that these trinkets meant more to her than her future succession ever would. These treasures were her link to the world beyond the Sea. They were her reminder that beautiful things existed outside these waters. Like that beautiful statue of that human girl.

They were-

"They're what, Princess Yuzuko?"

Yuzu shrunk back, feeling smaller than a tadpole. The large chamber with all the guards, Himeko, and Harumi in it felt a lot more suffocating, watching her silently. Himeko was covering her claws over her mouth in delight.

"They're… nothing, Mama. It won't happen again."

Queen Ume sighed at Yuzu's sudden, defeated downcast deamour. Reminding her of the times when her daughter was a lot younger. Yuzu would always try to explore beyond the castle, always curious about the surface. And would always get in trouble for it, like this, with that same expression on her face when she was being punished. Ume's heart twisted, no mother likes to see their child so defeated.

Now, judgement fell from Ume's lips, albeit reluctantly. "To make sure it won't happen again, I am putting you under castle arrest. And to make certain, Himeko will be your royal chaperone from now on. She will report to me upon your whereabouts, and your daily doings. You go nowhere without her."

"WHAT?!" Both mermaid and crab yelled alike, looking disdainfully across the water at each other like they were the worst of enemies (which they kind of were), then back at the Queen, pleading.

"But, Mama-" Yuzu began.

"But, your Majesty-" Himeko began too.

"No more buts! I am your Queen and as long as you live under my Sea, you will obey what I have decreed!" Ume thundered, finally at her limit with this whole ordeal. She gripped the impressive glowing trident next to her, cutting an imposing and mighty figure across the room. Her green, viridescent mermaid scales reflected aggressively as she rose. "Do I make myself clear?"

Yuzu, in anguish and tears, fled the throne room. Himeko, understanding her sudden, royally decreed order, muttered, "Yes, your majesty," under her breath, and followed after her royal headache. Her tiny appendages scurried across the floor to catch up to the speedy mermaid.

With the ordeal over, Queen Ume sunk back onto her royal seat, exhausted. She really did not like punishing her only daughter like this. The room dispersed, knowing they were also dismissed to continue their duties, leaving only Harumi to stay back, by the Queen's side.

"Maybe I was too hard on her?" Forlorn, Ume muttered, regarding Harumi who had watched the proceedings in unobtrusive silence.

"Maybe… maybe not," Harumin acknowledged sadly, but remembering the horrendous creature from the shipwreck.

For the next few weeks thereafter, Yuzu was a mute, unhappy mess. Confined to her living chambers with an omnipresent Himeko never too far away, she spent her time staring at the endless water, while absentmindedly fiddling with her sapphire stone. Constantly thinking of the statue, and its eyes... and about the human girl that it was made after… how sad and lonely she was. Yuzu put her head in her hands along the castle rapport, languidly. Maybe she and this human weren't so different after all.

"Yuzucchi…," a familiar mermaid voice greeted. The two hadn't spoken to each other in awhile as Yuzu wanted to be alone, as alone as she could get with Himeko stalking her.

Yuzu raised her head, seeing her best friend's face on the other side, "Harumin?"

Her best friend, with a chest that would make a hammerhead shark grovel, floated upside down. It offered a very enticing view of the mermaid.

"How much longer are you going to be depressingly swimming about for?" She teased, seeing Yuzu pout at that, "you know, you pretty much have the whole castle in a state of gloom. Even Himeko looks kinda heartbroken, following you around. And she's the crabbiest of crabs..."

"Well, until my mother decrees otherwise," Yuzu muttered sarcastically. She thought it best to resume to pressing her face against her hands. She knew Harumi was trying to cheer her up.

Harumi smiled at that. At least her best friend had her sense of humor still.

But knowing what she was about to say to Yuzu - that it would change the blonde's stupor instantly, Harumi pressed on.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten what lunar cycle we're in? That has to put a smile on your pretty face!"

Looking up towards the surface, and judging the way the undercurrents moved, Yuzu realized what lunar cycle she was in, and what it meant.

"Nene!" Yuzu puffed gleefully, like a puffer fish full of air.

Then realizing her current confinement, and what that meant, caused her to deflate back down. The blonde crossed her arms, glaring at the shapely mermaid that had righted herself across from her, "Did you just forget that I'm grounded by my mother, being shadowed by Himeko, and absolutely forbidden from going to the surface Harumin!"

"No, I didn't. I didn't forget but I thought we'd make an exception." Harumin said cutely, waving her finger. She took Yuzu's hands in her own, "Please Yuzucchi, I hate to see you so sad like this. Especially over what happened. And I know Nene always cheers you up!"

Harumi was already tugging Yuzu temptingly towards the surface.

Yuzu resisted, although her eyes were yearning to go, "But what about Himeko…"

Surprised, Harumin realized she had forgotten to mention that vital piece of information. For some reason, the little crab had a habit of slipping from her mind. "Oh right, I may have drugged her with some cone snail venom, just a little while ago. But not to worry, I'm sure the hermit crab will wake up nice and groggy… tomorrow!"

Looking back, and seeing a slumped crab claw, Yuzu was completely unfazed by her best friend's tactics.

But still, Yuzu countered stubbornly, "But what about the surface… I had... almost gotten you killed at the Fourni archipelago."

Harumin nodded as if they we talking about the water, "True. But honestly, seeing this besotted mess you've become, I'd rather take the risk again!"

Seeing Yuzu sink further into hesitation, her best friend continued, trying to be more convincing, "But I know that where Nene is, it's safe! It's in the middle of the Sea, for Poseidon's sake, so no humans or malignant creatures trying to kill us! We should be fine..."

Yuzu was still giving her that sad look, so Harumi went straight to the point that would be a sure thing to change the mermaid princesses' mind.

"And I'm sure you'd like to ask Nene about your new treasure that has spellbound you." Referring to the sapphire, her best friend smirked when Yuzu blushed immediately. But it was the push Yuzu finally needed as the blonde's charming energy began to return.

The blonde's lips curled upwards after weeks at the opportunity Harumi had implied to her. Testing her recently stagnant propulsive fin, Yuzu held the gem to her small chest in determination.

She narrowed her eyes at her voluptuous convincer.

"If we get caught Harumi…"

"I know, Yuzucchi, I know. But we won't get caught cause we'll only be gone for a moment."

"Just a moment?" Yuzu joked.

"Yes… I hope." Harumi winced slightly.

Eyeing the surface, Yuzu prayed one last time, "I just hope my mother doesn't find out about this, then she'd really kill me."

On a remote rock, in the middle of the sea, stood a bird. Not just any bird, though. This avian was a harpy, with legs and wings of a bird, but the body and face of a girl. A rather cute, happy-go-lucky girl, mind you. She yawned and stretched herself along the small, jutted rock, enjoying the afternoon sun and the clear blue sky, humming a sailors tune. Although not too concerned if she didn't see her favorite mermaids today, Nene lazily noted the angle of the sun in the sky. She would need to fly off soon to circle the monthly cargo ship she was attuned to fly around.

But hearing the splash of fins in the water, Nene instantly jumped, flapping her wings excitedly. She turned and saw the most beautiful mermaids she'd ever seen, "Yuzu! Harumin!" The two sea nymphs looked just as she remembered from the month past, youthful and mythically majestic with tails of the prettiest iridescent colors reflected from the sun's light rays. Now, if only they were a couple, then Nene would be in paradise.

"Nene!" Yuzu greeted, taking in the unusual earthly surroundings like a newly hatched turtle. Unaccustomed to such direct sunlight and air, she cupped her hand over her eyes and opted to rest against Nene's rock like a sunbathing lizard. Meanwhile, Harumi kept afloat in the sea, her shoulders above the water, and opted to wave at the bird, while scanning the open horizon.

No humans, no creatures, all was well.

"What have you got for me today, Yuzu?" the little harpy asked, seeing something in the mermaid's grasp.

"Well, I was hoping maybe you could give me some information about it…?" Yuzu revealed the exotic sapphire.

"Of course!" Nene picked the stone up excitedly, ready to tell her friends all about her accurate, earthbound knowledge. She raised it towards the sun, inspecting its beauty as it glimmered even more so in the sunlight.

"It's a dingle-dangle!"

Like a sea sponge, Yuzu memorized the human term, nodding vigorously in fascination.

Nene continued, enjoying the interest from her audience, "Humans use it to put it on things to make them prettier, but otherwise dingle-dangles are worthless."

Yuzu chirped in, "Well I found it, in a newly sunken ship off the Fourni archipelago. It was in one of the eyes of a stone figure of… of a very pretty woman, actually," Yuzu described more of the statue albeit rather shyly to the bird but ending it encouragingly with, "Would you happen to know anything more about it?"

"About what?"

"About the statue with the stone, Nene." Yuzu pleaded.

"Oh the dingle-dangle, you mean."

Yuzu nodded, "Yes the dingle-dangle."

Nene flapped joyfully that Yuzu was using the term she taught her. "Ah, yes, then it must be from one of the Amamiya ships then. They've been sailing these waters an awful lot lately. Not very good at it, obviously." Nene laughed at her own joke despite Yuzu listening seriously.

"Amamiya...," Yuzu tested the word, "... why would these 'Amamiya' ships be carrying such a treasure?"

"Wow, you really want to learn everything about dingle-dangles!" Nene misread what Yuzu meant, "Probably because the Amamiya prince has been trying to mate with Princess Mei, the woman statue it was made after,with all the dingle-dangles! One of the other seabirds was bragging about it. Apparently, they will be meeting next to the island of Delos, tonight."

Yuzu's mouth dropped suddenly at the information. Finally, the information she had sought and contemplated over the last few weeks was now given to her so causally by this strange, happy-go-lucky girl-harpy. The statue, or rather this very real, and very much alive human girl she had been brooding over was going to be sailing around the Cyclades region tonight, which was actually so close to where she kept all her other human treasures!

Nene misreading Yuzu's reaction again, "But I don't believe any dingle-dangles are going to be at their meeting, Yuzu…, but let me show you something that will really make you happy! They're called the Dinglehopper and Snarfblart!"

Too preoccupied with strategies of seeing this human girl in the flesh, Yuzu whipped her head around. The breeze caught in her hair as the waves splashed against the rocks, while the sun in the clear sky shone down like a ray of hope. She widened her emerald gaze at her best friend in the water, implying her intent without words, and not realizing how beautiful she just made herself look to a stilled, memerized Nene.

The bobbing chesty mermaid raised her eyebrows in dread at Yuzu's look. She knew exactly what Yuzu was insinuating, "Oh, no no no, Yuzucchi, no, we can't! We said just a moment, remember?!"

With renewed, ecstatic energy more so than a school of hungry fishes, Yuzu snatched the sapphire from Nene's grasp as the harpy held dumbly onto some other odd looking human objects, "Sorry Nene, I'll have to get you to show me those next time!" As Yuzu flopped back into the sea, leaping onto a thwarting Harumi like an excited, jumping fish.

Nene was in a whole other world; her daydreams coming to fruition as the two mermaids wrestled in the water together. Scales and shell-covered breasts bumping against each other, dripping with seawater.

With Harumi inciting "No, no we can't, we're not allowed, it's too dangerous, it's forbidden Yuzucchi," while trying to stop Yuzu as the overly joyed blonde persisted with, "Oh yes, yes we can. And we are! We're going to see! We'll go to the cave first though!" The blonde tackled the brunette.

Obviously, Yuzu was winning this sexy battle.

Not one to forget her companions, Yuzu called back to her earthbound friend, waving with one hand while the other headlocked Harumi, "Ah, Nene! Thanks so much for today! I owe you big time!" And winking before diving beneath the surface with a frantic Harumin following.

Nene, unbeknownst that her nose was bleeding for the last little bit, could only sigh in content and thank the powers of Zeus for satisfying one of her favorite fantasies as she watched their retreating, gorgeous fins dive back into the sea.

Long-live HaruYuzu.

Maybe she would make a special trip out to Delos tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Himeko had heard everything. Slumped along the castle floor, her body in paralysis from the cone snail's venom induced, she cursed herself for getting tricked.

Stupid Harumi and her bewitching chest mounds!

Hearing the two mermaids banter about going to the surface, Himeko's anger boiled until she probably could have been served as a human person's dinner, fully cooked.

"I just hope my mother doesn't find out about this, then she'd really kill me!" Was the last thing the tiny, immobile crab heard Yuzu say, as she pictured the two rebellious mermaids swimming away from the castle, flipping their tails rebelliously, hand in hand and probably laughing in their immature delirium for breaking the rules.

While laying there, crumpled over and immobile on the floor, she promised to exact insurmountable pain on those two delinquents. One day! Hopefully, soon.

So, right now was not the time to give up and wallow in thoughts about sweet revenge! Focusing on her chelipads, she managed to mumble from her numb lips, motivating herself, "Wiggle your big claw, Himeko."

Nothing happened.

Not even her bushy eyebrows could move. She stared at her claw with venom coursing through her limp body.

"Wiggle it, you useless appendage!" She slurred out.

Again, nothing happened and with that everything seemed hopeless. Harumi and Yuzu would get away. They would be back in time before anyone else found them. The venom would wear off and they would deny any wrongdoing!

Blast those sneaky but pretty royal mermaids!

"Wiggle…"

With relentless determination, for several seconds, Himeko continued to chant those words. Until...

The smallest nub, on her smallest limb, began to wiggle. Or rather, it twitched! But she'd take it as progress, nonetheless.

Aha! Now onto the next task.

After many minutes, the indestructible crab was wobbling onto her limbs and claws, clumsily supporting herself against the castle walls. Her eyes blazed with unimaginable glory. After overhearing the two delinquents discussion, Himeko had a very strong intuition as to where they might be heading. She could still apprehend them!

She determinedly, albeit rather sluggish, made it to her goldfish chariot to chase after them. Luckily, the open waters were quite clear today and her intuition was as sharp as a swordfish's snout, even though her body felt like a detached seaweed stem. Eventually it didn't take her long to spot the infamous fin scales of Yuzu and Harumi retreating from the surface where Himeko knew they visited this vile winged girl thing. Himeko hid her chariot around some staghorn coral, while Harumi was frantically trying to convince an overly joyed Yuzu not to do something reckless. Like usual.

Sneakily tailing them, Himeko followed behind at a fair and safe distance into the Delos underwater region. The area was known for its rocky alcoves and boulders with algae covered surfaces. The two mermaids swam around the edges of a large and protruding crag where the brunette pushed open a secret opening that Yuzu excitedly swan through. Harumi looked back momentarily to see if anyone was around, then swam through herself, detecting no one. Himeko smirked at her successful spy-like abilities. However, seeing the door closing so very slowly, she squealed, leaving her goldfish chariot, and just managed to slip through the smallest of cracks before the rock closed shut.

The sight that befell the royal guard inside the cave left Himeko speechless beyond words, more so than any amount of cone snail venom could produce.

Yuzu whirled within the center of a museum of human trinkets to which Himeko couldn't believe existed. How on Poseidon's trident did Yuzu manage to accumulate all these? She must have snuck out more times than Himeko could recount when she caught her. Hiding behind some… what were these again… human spectacles and stunned at the other oddities, Himeko listened to the absurdities coming out of the princesses' mouth.

"I want to see her, Harumin. I don't understand how a world that makes such beautiful things," her royal heiress placed the dingle-dangle on the shelf amongst the others, "could be bad, like my mother says."

Sitting upon a grand and sunken throne, Harumi crossed her arms over her meaty chest, "I think your Queen mother is just trying to protect you. You mean everything to her, Yuzucchi and we just don't know what humans are capable of, if they knew of us."

Yuzu pouted at the mention of her mother, "I know… but look at this stuff. Look at all these treasures," tracing her finger along the row of artifacts, "I think humans are capable of such wonderful things."

Harumi looked around at the assortment of items. Sure, some of them were pretty, especially when Yuzu held onto them, while she curiously examined their design and function but never knowing for certain. Nene had only told them a handful of what these things could do and, to be honest, some of the harpy's explanations left Harumi a little skeptical.

Yuzu continued, "I know everyone in the entire Oceania kingdom must think I have everything: status, my succession, family and friends. And I do, I really do," Yuzu swam up to her best friend and grasped her hands like Harumi was one of her many treasures, "And I really should be satisfied with what I have," as the royal mermaid's face was so close to touching the brunette's lips,

"...but I want… I want…," Yuzu's green eyes widened and Harumi could see the minuscule details and her reflection in them.

"What do you want, Yuzucchi?"

Yuzu then gazed longingly up towards the surface where a single ray of fading sunlight entered into the trove. "I want more, Harumin." The brunette felt Yuzu's hands slip from hers and the blonde became enamored once more with the surrounding trinkets and the underwater single ray of light. Harumi smiled sadly, watching Yuzu go and slightly trace a small human woman on a dial. Nene said it used to play pleasant noises.

"I want to be where the humans are. I want to see her...see her smiling and walking around and dancing on… what do you call them?" Yuzu poked at the two odd human appendages.

"Feet."

Yuzu grinned sheepishly, "Ah yes, feet."

Harumi facepalmed. Although adorable, her best friend was not the smartest, "You are too impressionable, sometimes." Yuzu flipped her tail playfully, still giddy from the possibility of seeing the human girl. She went to another object, one that Nene told them was a 'painting,' which humans used to constantly remind themselves of things.

"And what's this, again?"

"Fire, Yuzucchi."

"And what does it do, again?" Yuzu giggled at her forgetfulness.

"It burns," Harumi said. She was surprised at how much she actually knew of these humans things from half-listening to Nene go on and on about them.

"Ah, yes, it burns. Isn't that neat? I can only ponder what that feels like, probably wonderful!"

The brunette cringed, "I can see why your Queen mother has sheltered you and put you on castle arrest now."

"Harumin! Well, I can bet you on land, mothers don't reprimand their daughters like the way she did to me!" Yuzu whined, as the brunette narrowed her golden eyes at her gullible innocence, "Why do you have to chastise me so?" Harumi knew how much she wanted to be a part of the human world.

Harumi rose, needing to stretch her fins, "Well it's true! Yuzucchi, as much as you ponder and imagine yourself on land, it just isn't going to happen. I adore your beautiful sweet nature but you're a mermaid. Not a human like this statue girl, and nothing is going to change that, as much as I want to see you happy. You can't just grow legs to 'jump and dance around' on suddenly."

She felt bad seeing Yuzu purse her lips together to stop them from quivering from what she said. The brunette frowned and gave an agitated swish of her caudal fin but held her ground, as the blonde turned and went to cradle the sapphire stone, resting next to her other but less pretty dingle-dangles. As much as she loved her best friend, she had to be honest and responsible sometimes, instead of entertaining Yuzu's every whim, for her own good. Look what happened at the Fourni archipelago.

"I suppose you are right. Even if I could grow legs, I would probably shrivel up under the constant sun, like mother says would happen...if I had all that freedom." The blonde slouched, while tracing its purple curve. The reflected light in the stone seemed to diminish in lustre, mimicking her mood.

Harumi swam to envelope the sad blonde in her embrace with her squishy goodies for added comfort to boot, saying reassuringly, "Yuzucchi…you're-"

"-IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!" Himeko sprang up from her hiding spot, chelipads outstretched like a starfish. She wagered the moment ripe to make her entrance. The two mermaids screamed at the ugly creature's sudden appearance, hugging the other tightly, while moving back in fear and confused at first at what or who she was.

On instinct, Yuzu grabbed the the dingle-dangle and threw it, hitting the crab square in the face. The crab fell back, knocking over trinkets one after the other.

"OUCH! You spoiled princess!"

"Oh, Himeko? Is that you?" Yuzu blinked, while Harumi looked equally as befuddled. She was sure she gave the royal guard an extra dosing of cone snail venom. So, how was she even moving? It was close to impossible.

"And how are you here?" Harumi ignored the crab rubbing her face in pain, while grimacing at the assault.

"I followed you, of course! It is not hard to track down two delinquent and flamboyant looking gyaru mermaids!"

"But the venom?"

Himeko smirked, "I didn't become a royal guard for just my looks!" The crab glared, as the two mermaids looked confused at that declaration.

"But, what's more important, right now, is what is this place, Princess Yuzuko? This all looks highly forbidden!"

Yuzu sheepishly sunk down on the center rock in the trove and cutely opened her palms to her treasures, "Oh, it's just my collection."

Himeko feigned calm and joyous understanding, toying with a large fish hook in her grasp, "Oh! I see, your collection! How nice!" Then she exploded in angered frenzy, as objects went flying through the water, "If your mother ever found out about this place-"

"-You're not going to tell her, are you?" Harumi advanced threateningly towards the tiny crustacean, drawing Himeko into a corner and using her chest as a suffocating weapon to trap her, "How much did you hear?"

Himeko wasn't going to be fooled twice today by Harumi's gorgeous breasts! She pushed back against her big shell-covered mounds, surprising Harumi with her scrawny boldness, "I heard enough and seen everything! And this talk about a human girl-"

At this, Yuzu's eyes widened and she too advanced on Himeko but in a more pleading manner.

"-Oh, Himeko, please don't say anything! You know my mother wouldn't understand!" She hypnotized Himeko for a brief moment with her mesmerizing verdant eyes, full of fragile emotion, before a large shadow filled the trove.

Darkness covered the trio and the shadow blocked out the fading sunray in an outline of a ship, momentarily. When Himeko peered back at Yuzu, all of the blonde's worry and panic was replaced with such linear determination looking up at the surface.

"It's her," Yuzu whispered with excited anticipation. Everything else was forgotten as she raced towards the exit, leaving a concerned Harumi and a confused Himeko behind.

"Princess Yuzuko?" Himeko tried but the mermaid was already gone, speeding towards the surface. With no other options, the two fled after her to see to her safety.


	4. Chapter 4

Mei narrowed her focus on the waves, their crests breaking against the side of the xebec, as the wind gently blew through her hair. She gauged the speed they were travelling, while calmly resting her hands on the taffrail. The trading ship they were using moved quickly and inconspicuously through the water, giving away little detection that royalty was on board. They had opted for a lighter and less heavily armed vessel to show their open and peaceful negotiations with Prince Amamiya without grandiose affair.

In truth, Mei wanted this exchange to go as secretly and swiftly as possible.

"You look tense, Princess Mei," Royal Commander Shiraho observed, walking to her side, "Is there any words I may say to ease your ail? Everything's in order." Her presence was looming, a presence Mei had grown accustomed to over the years to the point where Mei thought of her as a welcoming shadow.

"I am alright."

Shiraho scanned over the waters and the fading sunset, confessing at the obvious situation with her splayed hand cupping her chin, "It is rather strange how the Prince wishes to meet so late in the evening and at such an odd location to… talk."

In the background, crewmates were at their duties and a handful of royal guards waited on order in trained expectancy. With no response from the royal heiress, Shiraho sensed her stress, undetectable by anyone else. Her regal posture straight as an arrow, her features set in unreadable emotion, but her aura had a distinct edge of nervousness. Directing her sharp abilities to the smallest change of air against her cheek, the Royal Navy Commander noted, "The winds are picking up slightly, Princess. I advise we do not stay at Sea for long. We do not wish to be amidst a confrontation between Zeus and Poseidon."

While regarding the ship in the distance they were steering towards, anchored and its sails catching the breeze with Prince Amamiya's sigil and his country's banner - a snake intertwined around a shield - on full display, Mei said solemnly, "I hope we do not linger too long either, Captain Suzuran."

In the background, behind the imposing ship, the island of Delos held a glimmer of a distant temple along its shores.

Shiraho informed thoughtfully, "Although if we do, or if the weather turns sharply like it does in this region, we shall make port on Delos and sail for home on the morrow. This ship may be fast but I fear it cannot stand turbulent winds favorably, not like our greater ships."

Reading the true meaning behind her words, Mei turned her gaze from the water to Shiraho, catching the Commander off balance momentarily with her direct and elegant beauty, like it always did. The oarsmen below deck moved in sync to dock beside the much larger vessel as it neared and those above deck shouted commands to intercept the neighboring ropes and instructions from the Prince's frigate. Up close, his ship's sails and galley posed mightily like a threat against their tiny ship with its numerous canons jutting out of their gunports.

"Thank you, Captain. Your knowledge is always a valuable kindness to me," Mei replied with the slightest hint of sadness in her eyes that Shiraho detected, "Given your family's history, my grandfather was wise to choose you for such a position."

"There is nowhere else I would prefer to be, my Princess. Truly." Shiraho's cheeks reddened unexpectedly and she took her leave to see to the final docking stages, as it took time to get the two different sized boats secured together. Amongst the bustle, Mei walked to the centerline of the ship with her guards flanking under the masts. Ready to greet their honorable guest in custom royal procession, Mei let out a short sigh, while faced with a wall of canons on the broadside of the Prince's ship.

The lanterns became lit, as the last of the day's light fell past the horizon and into the sea.

"Help me up, Harumin!" Yuzu pleaded, bobbing in the water and trying to gain a firm hold somewhere along the wet wood of the hull where the waves hit the waterline. After following behind the ship and waiting for the cover of darkness to get closer, now was the perfect time for Yuzu to make her move.

"Yuzucchi, this is crazy-

"-Madness more like it!" Himeko piped in, hanging onto Harumi helplessly, while she struggled to stay afloat above the waves with her other claw splashing uselessly about. Unable to drag them back under the sea by force, the little crab had no other option but to follow after them, attaching onto Harumi's scales like a barnacle, after being too slow to keep up. Not that she'd ever admit it though, "We should turn back and go home, now! I can hear them even! They sound like monsters!"

Watching as Yuzu kept trying to pull herself out of the water, albeit unsuccessfully, Harumi winced in concern, "I hate to admit it but Himeko's right. I'm not helping you climb up this human ship. It's too dangerous." The mermaid peered above her at the enormous structure, even though the one next to it was much bigger. Studying it warily, and hearing those strange human noises, Harumi reasoned, "Plus, you don't even know if this is the right one she's on."

"It is. For some reason, I know it is!" Yuzu said, letting frustration take over her emotions for once, as she slipped again back into the water with a growl. She felt lost at just how close, yet still so faraway she was at seeing this human girl finally!

"Please, Harumin!" Yuzu said, exasperated. Resting her hands on the wood, she let the familiar sensation of the sea calm her. Slowly turning with such sorrow in her eyes back to her best friend and crab enemy, the blonde mermaid whispered, "Please, Harumin. I need to see her. If only once, please."

For a few moments, the two mermaids gazed at each other with the water lapping around them, having an unspoken conversation filled with understanding and love between them, while the royal guard blanched, disgusted, "You're not really going to fall for this trickery?"

Ignoring the crab, Harumi pondered but sighed deeply, looking up once more at the huge wooden beast and caved. She released an audible achey whine but nodded at Yuzu, "Fine. I don't know how you do to this to me! Go and peek and see your exotic human, but only for a moment!"

"Yes, thank you!" Yuzu cheered brilliantly, nodding as Harumi came behind her, "I'll only be a moment!"

Harumi and Yuzu heaved and the blonde pulled herself along the wooden holds as the brunette hoisted her, while Himeko murmured, "You can't be serious about this," watching as the princesses' entire caudal fin rose out from the water, dripping. Grabbing onto the next hold, the blonde slowly started to ascend the side of the ship, straining to carry herself up with her arms alone as her fin dangled in the open wind like a caught fish.

"This is harder than I thought," Yuzu gritted through her teeth, not giving up. After much effort, she made it almost to the top, propping her tail fin against a ledge beside an opening to peer through. Before daring to peek in, Yuzu glanced down to reaffirm she was alright to Harumi and squeaked in fear. She was pretty high up! Harumi looked as tiny as a seahorse as the blonde gulped nervously at the different type of view that being out of the water and on this wooden thing afforded her.

Swallowing her fear and replacing it with her determined nervousness, Yuzu tightened her hold along the edge, praying silently to Poseidon not to fall and glanced through the bright opening, onto the ship's deck-

-and came face to face with a burly beast of a creature! Its fluffiness fluttered in the nightly breeze and it peered at Yuzu with an equally surprised expression before his beady black eyes ignited in adorable happiness. On all fours, it gave a small jump, panting in joy before it gave the mermaid one giant sloppy lick across the face with its wet tongue, which Yuzu giggled in turn at his playfulness. He was indeed not a monster, as his snout gave her wispy touches like small kisses. Curiously, she stroked his interesting plush texture and his tail gave a waggle in turn, truly happy as a clam. Yuzu smiled, fear washed away, but before they could get to know each other further his ears shot up as the most angelic sound pierced through the air.

"Kumagoro, come here, boy."

The blonde quickly hid out of sight, as the small fluffy creature retreated to his master. With one curious green eye peeking around the corner, then two, she followed his path and that's when Princess Yuzu saw her.

Standing amidst guards adorned in a sea of red and yellow stood the statue woman but alive; hair darker than black pearls, skin lighter than delicate white coral and dressed similarly to her stone replica, Yuzu recognized her instantly. Her heart gave an unexpected stir in her chest, as amethyst eyes took in her fluff creature as he came obediently to her side. Those mesmerizing eyes that Yuzu had dreamed about for weeks became alight so briefly. Her irreplaceable dingle-dangle could not compare to them, especially now that Yuzu was witness to the girl's actual beauty, more captivating than Aphrodite.

"Wow," was Yuzu's only response that she could manage to get out, while her mouth was agape and her heart was spellbound. Just as quickly, those amethyst eyes returned to their sad and impassive state when she peered at the other ship as a connecting plank was brought down.

"Sit, Kumagoro," the human girl asked the creature politely to which he obeyed like a proper fluff thing. What the heck was he, even? Before Yuzu's brain became sensory overloaded at her amazement at the extraordinary woman, and curious at the rest of the humans and creature alike, something squawked beside her.

"Hello, Princess Yuzuko!" Nene called out, surprising her and almost causing the mermaid to die of fright, along with her new fear of heights. Not wanting to fall, Yuzu gripped the wood that she had been clinging onto harder, ducking completely out of sight.

"Nene!" Yuzu scream-whispered, "Are you trying to get me caught? They'll hear you."

"Oh, don't worry, they're all so eager awaiting Prince Amamiya to focus on us uninteresting things," the harpy said a few octaves lower for the convenience of Yuzu, "But I gotcha, I gotcha. So, what do you think? I told you there wouldn't be any dingle-dangles here. Just Princess Mei, unfortunately."

Yuzu's heartstrings pulled every which way returning to look at the girl, confiding bashfully, "I've never seen such a human up close like this before. She's so beautiful, more than I could have ever imagined."

"Huh? I don't know, it looks kind of shaggy and odd looking to me," Nene misread who the mermaid was referring to, squinting at Kumagoro next to Mei.

"Not that one. Not the creature!" Yuzu yanked the bird's face upwards so Nene's line of sight was directly on Mei, "Her!"

Before Nene could comment, a loud horn blared the descending of Prince Amamiya and the mermaid and harpy hid as much out of sight watching the exchange between the humans.

Prince Amamiya boarded with a flourish in over-exaggerated regal wear, bounding down the bridge plank to which Mei was at the end of.

"Princess Mei, you look darling tonight," Amamiya smirked, bowing and kissing Mei's hand in formal greeting. She frowned as he continued to caress it, "I thank you for meeting my request for this gathering of sorts. It's a shame you did not receive the statue I had constructed to replicate your everlasting grace and beauty!"

Mei withdrew her hand accordingly, after Amamiya decided to keep it in his grasp for too long, "Yes, a shame, Prince Amamiya. I heard it was quite an expensive sight. Riches that could have been spent elsewhere like on your people or resources."

Kumagoro beside her gave him a low snarl, as Amamiya hummed, "You are feisty one tonight, Princess. I like that. Perhaps our discussion is better had in your cabin?" Attempting to pet the dog, the prince retracted his hand pretentiously after Kumagoro started to bare his teeth, "Not a friendly animal, is he?"

"He is only friendly to those he trusts," Mei clarified with a composed regality, "And I'd prefer if our discussion continue out here. You wished to talk about a marriage proposal, did you not?"

Prince Amamiya looked about at the audience gawking at them, feeding his conceitedness more than his uncomfortableness. Besides Shiraho, who remained unreadable, the entire crew from both ships watched on in fascination as the royal members from two different countries talked about-

"Yes, a marriage proposal," Amamiya mused, regaining his arrogance masked as confidence, "Every neighboring kingdom and beyond has heard the news of your grandfather's failing health to the point he is bedridden, is he not?"

He brushed his hair to the side, which was getting tossed in the wind. After waiting for a reply from Mei that didn't come, he continued, "My sympathies, Princess. I know it is a difficult topic, one that I had wished to have in privacy with you, given the circumstances of your family's...situation."

Mei remained composed under his teasing stare, "My family's situation," he paced around her like an animal sizes their prey, "is none of your concern, Prince Amamiya." The rising gusts of wind blew into the sails, rocked their ships and made Mei feel uneasy about being out on the water. Or was her uneasiness due to him and the way he was looking at her?

"Well, considering the circumstances, especially with what your father chose to do," he smirked as this remark seemed to deepen her frown, "you have been left in a very precarious situation, Princess. Your kingdom requires allies and your succession requires you to marry a suitable person of royal lineage. Both of which I possess, and beautifully so, I might add. I'm here to help."

He took a domineering step towards Mei, whispering into her ear, "Every Queen needs a King to rule over them so that they remember their place when they become nothing more than child-bearers." And with that, he cupped her face forcefully with his hands and aggressively pressed his lips to hers. The sky flashed, as Amamiya kissed Mei roughly. Her eyes widened at the contact, as he pushed his tongue in deeper, seeming to claim her with his touch.

Regaining her senses, Mei pushed back sharply, shoving him away and covering her mouth with the back of her hand. Her amethyst eyes bore into him, as her resolve turned into lightning as she said,

"No."

"Pardon?" Amamiya chuckled, wiping his bottom lip of her saliva smugly and thinking what he heard incorrectly was due to the tormortuous looking skies above them, which had started to stir.

"Let me speak louder so you understand, Prince Amamiya," Mei strengthened her voice, mimicking the rising wind, "I do not require your help. I do not require your marriage proposal in which I decline your offer. I thank you for your time but if my kingdom needed allies the last place it would look would be yours. Please give your family my regards."

Gasps and shocked whispers resounded throughout the crew, many not expecting such an open rejection between royalty. Prince Amamiya looked shocked and he shook his head confused, "Surely, you are jesting, Princess? This is not the time for silly courtship. I want you to be my wife. You will be my wife."

Mei straightened, standing her ground, looking every bit like a powerful ruler, "No. I am very serious, Prince Amamiya. In the name of Zeus, I would marry a fish before I married you."

The lantern light blew widely in the wind, as Amamiya's eyes flashed dangerously like a predator at her. Captain Shiraho stepped in between the two, disrupting any further rebuttal from him.

"Princess Mei has given you her answer. It would be wise that we conclude this affair here. Please, gracefully take your leave off this ship and return to your kingdom, Prince. The sea will be difficult to sail and we do not wish anything bad to befall upon your return home." Her presence cut a looming figure and everyone was tense to see Amamiya study her, then yield.

"No. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen, now would we?" Prince Amamiya glared. "Very well. I will take my leave but I hope the Princess will reconsider my generous offer. My kingdom and family are powerful, and she would be wise to remember that when the time comes."

Without a proper ceremonial farewell, he sauntered angrily back up the plank with his attendees, his crew working quickly to separate their ships in the gale.

Once his ship was gone, Shiraho took charge, as the weather turned miserable and violent, "Quickly, to Delos!" Rain and thunder roared down from the sky and the waves increased tenfold against the smaller vessel, crashing repeatedly into the wood. Determined, the crew worked to set the sails towards the island.

Unfortunately, the tropical cyclone developed too fast for the ship to make it to shore.


End file.
